Archive for the ‘Romania’ Category

So in the midst of an otherwise very busy travel day, it’s still important to take in the weirdest of slightly out of the way roadside attractions. The day started in Brasov. Red Bull in hand, competitive driving ensued. Mid-day break for lunch in Sibiu turned into an hour of walking around and climbing a church tower (I took the stairs in case you read that and think it sounds cooler than what actually happened). Some quick pics of Sibiu:

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After lunch it was back in the car for more competitive driving. And the interesting thing on the menu was a little town called Turda. Yes, you read it right: Turda. The further you get out of Bucharest, you encounter little towns (and bigger ones) with one main industrial focus. Turda is home to a crazy excavated salt mine. Now that the salt mine has ceased to continue operations, somebody came up with the only logical use for a 1,500 ft carved out salt mine: put in a family fun center. So, it is the creepiest ping pong, mini golf, bowling, boat ride kiddie fun center on earth. Check it out:

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So, after hiking down into bowels of family fun, there is no more joy I can find in Romania. Everything will just be a failed version of the splendor of subterranean Ferris wheels. So now onward to Serbia…

After a day of layover in Frankfurt, it’s been a Romanian last couple of days. Brasov, Romania is a cute little town situated in the center of the country, surrounded by mountains (and from the looks of all the outdoor shops, full of climbers). The Romanians have been very hospitable and very nice and pleasant. The food consists of meet on top of meat, with a side of meat. Overall, it’s been easy to navigate and my Ford Fiesta has handled well, even on the snowy Transylvanian roads. Today was a trip to Bran Castle, which is home to “Dracula.” I put that in quotes because it’s a “supposedly his home” situation. Although Vlad III is the supposed inspiration for the myth and he did spend time imprisoned there. Worth the half an hour drive and interesting to see. Hidden staircases and old furniture are alway fun. People were short back then and I did smack my head on a beam at least once. Photos from around:

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This guy gave the tour, but kept annoyingly pointing out the quantity of everything that was there…